1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus capable of handling a code and a control method thereof.
2. Description of the Related Art
For example, it is possible for a two-dimensional code to include a by far larger amount of information per printed area compared to a general character string having the same printed area, and therefore, the two-dimensional code begins to be used widely also as information transmission means in a variety of fields. In recent years, for example, it is put to practical use to optically read a QR code (registered trademark) printed on printed matter by a camera of a mobile telephone etc., to decode the code, and to read the coded character string aloud. It can be said that the reading aloud technology of decoded results such as this is a convenient technology for the visually impaired.
However, it is difficult for the visually impaired to accurately grasp which part of the printed matter a code is included in and besides that, it is difficult to know even the fact itself that a code is included in the printed matter.
To solve the former problem, the apparatus that enables accurate reading of a two-dimensional code printed on printed matter by a comparatively simple operation has been proposed (see Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2009-087306).
To solve the latter problem, it has been stipulated that a cutout be formed in printed matter to which a code is attached so that it is possible for the visually impaired to immediately recognize that a code is attached to the printed matter in the field of the two-dimensional code called, for example, a voice code. It has been also stipulated that a voice code be printed without exception in the bottom-right corner of a document and a cutout be also provided without exception in the vicinity thereof, thereby allowing the presence and the position of the voice code to be grasped by the cutout (with regard to the voice code, see Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2003-076959).
As described above, for the voice code, for example, there is a rule to print a voice code in a specified position of printed matter on which a code is printed and to form a cutout indicative of the presence of the voice code in the vicinity thereof. Because of this, a cutout is formed manually in printed matter after printing by a dedicated tool or printing is performed using a sheet provided with a cutout in advance.
In these circumstances, for example, in the case where a cutout is formed manually, such a problem may arise that a voice code cannot be read correctly because of formation of the cutout in an erroneous position.
Further, in the case of the voice code, the number of cutouts to be formed differs depending on whether the voice code is printed on both sides or only on one side of printed matter, and therefore, it is necessary to check each time how the voice code is printed at the time of forming a cutout. This is a task that requires a very large amount of effort and time.
Such a problem may commonly occur in the case where there is a similar rule for a code other than the voice code.